SCINTILLA A European project for the development of scintillation detectors and new technologies for nuclear security

Europe monitors transits using radiation detectors to prevent illicit trafficking of nuclear materials. The SCINTILLA project aims to develop a toolbox of innovative technologies designed to address different usage cases. This article will review the scope, approach, results of the first benchmark campaign and future plans of the SCINTILLA project.Comment: To appear on the Proceedings of the 13th ICATPP Conference on Astroparticle, Particle, Space Physics and Detectors for Physics Applications, Villa Olmo (Como, Italy), 23--27 October, 2013, to be published by World Scientific (Singapore

Autonomous detection and ascent of a step for an electric wheelchair

With the number of individuals using a wheelchair on the rise, the issue of removing architectural barriers, or at least overcoming them, has to be faced to improve independence, inclusiveness, and participation of wheelchair users. Some electric wheelchairs can climb and descend stairs and obstacles, however, the actual operations required to do so safely may be complex and may require an experienced or trained user. To overcome this issue, a method to first detect and classify a step and then autonomously climb it safely is proposed here. The same method is then applied and tested on an actual stair-climbing wheelchair prototype to prove its reliability in different conditions

Bosonization and Duality in Arbitrary Dimensions: New Results

A generic massive Thirring Model in three space-time dimensions exhibits a correspondence with a topologically massive bosonized gauge action associated to a self-duality constraint, and we write down a general expression for this relationship. We also generalize this structure to $d$ dimensions, by adopting the so-called doublet approach, recently introduced. In particular, a non- conventional formulation of the bosonization technique in higher dimensions (in the spirit of $d=3$), is proposed and, as an application, we show how fermionic (Thirring-like) representations for bosonic topologically massive models in four dimensions may be built up.Comment: Revised version, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Verifying synonymies between grape cultivars from France and Northwestern Italy using molecular markers

Thirty-one grape cultivars from France and Northwestern Italy, presumed to be synonymous, were analyzed using RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) and SSR (Simple Sequence Repeats or microsatellite) markers to verify 25 synonym hypotheses. RAPD analyses were performed with 8 selected decamer primers and the profiles of 7 microsatellite loci were used in order to confirm RAPD results, if required. Sixteen synonymies were confirmed, including the French cv. Verdesse with the Italian cv. Bian ver, the French cv. Persan with the Italian cv. Biquet, the French cv. Chatus with the Italian cv. Neiret, the French cv. Gouais blanc with the Italian cvs Preveiral and Liseiret. Most of the investigated cultivars belong to the Vitis vinifera germplasm of both sides of the Western Alps and the occurrence of synonyms indicates the existence of a common pool of grapes grown under different names in this part of Europe.

Enhance local communities through Design: a holistic approach to regenerate rural environments

The advent of the technological revolution and the current aspiration to reconnect with the land define possibilities for thinking new connections between individuals and communities. These relations are geared towards developing regenerative endeavors and methods, ultimately leading to the establishment of collective well-being. Within rural environments, there is a propensity to develop strategies that include substantial lifestyle changes. These strategies operate employing practices and actions that, through co-design, aim to revitalize the local area. Through different approaches, the concepts of value and trust are nurtured, facilitating collaborative design of possible futures and transitional pathways to them. The objective of this study is to introduce a theoretical framework that encompasses the distinctive methodologies and actions inherent to the realm of design. This framework is intended to become a guide for implementing inventive processes, with the goal of revitalizing areas that are struggling with both social neglect and environmental deterioration. The activities conducted until now increased the experiences of relations with communities of place, creating meaningful opportunities, but also highlighting limitations and difficulties in intercommunity relations

Integration of 3G connectivity in planetlab Europe :A step of an evolutionary path towards heterogeneous large scale network testbeds

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Control of sucker growth on Vitis vinifera cv. Merlot with NAA derivatives

Six NAA esters (three known, three newly synthesized) were tested for the grapevine sucker control. Good results were achieved by E4, E5, E9 (8 % concentration) but E3 presented solubility problems. Suckering was reduced also in the second year, without repeating the treatment